You wouldn’t guess it from their name, but the members of 98 Degrees thrive when the weather gets colder.
The band has a growing catalog of holiday music, including 1999’s This Christmas, 2017’s Let It Snow and a special rerecording of “The First Noel” that’s been climbing the radio charts this holiday season.
So why do fans seem to love their holiday music so much? Drew Lachey tells ABC Audio it’s partly to do with the “nostalgic feel.”
“I think the way that we present them with the harmonies — I feel like it kind of embraces the feeling of the season,” he says. “You know, we’ve never been like the uptempo guys, really. So Christmas is all about kind of those sing-a-longs, those carols, and they just kind of really lend themselves to our vocal styles and our blend.”
As for how the new version of “The First Noel” came about, Jeff Timmons says the idea was born as they were on the road together earlier this year and thinking of something special they could do for fans. The song’s success on the charts was just icing on the cake.
“I think Lance [Bass] posted something about, you know, he never would have guessed in 2023 that *NSYNC and 98 Degrees would be on the charts together,” Drew says.
Jeff adds, “It’s great to see that still happening, you know, 20-something years later.”
Next up in 2024 for 98 Degrees is a new album, titled Full Circle, featuring a mix of rerecorded hits and new tunes.
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